Combined clutch and transmission mechanism



H. J. JONES.

COMBINED CLUTCH AND TRANSMISSION MECHANISM.

Patented Mar. 14, 1922.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. I8, I920.

INVENTOR.

flag/z (I (701183 W.

' ATTORNEY UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HUGH J. JONES, or OCEAN PARK, cauronn'm, as'sIsNoR or ONE-HALF T0nrmnsrc.

sornn, or SANTA MONICA, CALIFORNIA. V p

COMBINED C LUTCHAND TRANSMISSION MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented B131". 14 1922.

Application filed. October 18; 1920. sc -mine. 417,622.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known thatI, HUGH J. JoNEs, a citizen of the United States,residing at Ocean Park, in the county of Los Angeles and State ofCalifornia, have invented new and useful Improvements in Combined Clutchand Transmission Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in clutch and transmissionmechanisms particularly for motor vehicles and resides in the provisionof simply and inexpensively constructed mechanism in which the functionsof both clutch and transmission mechanism can be obtained in the oneunitary mechanism.

One object of this invention is the provision of clutch mechanism whichoperates and is constructed on a .novel differential gearing principle,reliable and certain in operation, not likely to get out of order, andcapable of more easily definitely controlling the speed and operation ofa driven shaft or member. I 1

Other'objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent duringthe course of the following description: Y

The invention consists of other objects and features some of which withthe foregoing will be set forth at length in the fol lowing descriptionwhereinI shall outline that form of invention whichI have selected forillustration in the'drawings' accompanying and forming a part of thepresent invention. In said drawings I have shown one form of theconstruction of my invention, but it is to be understood that I do notlimit myself to such form, since the invention as expressed in theclaims may be embodied in a plurality of forms.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and inwhich like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout thesame,

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the mechanism of my invention,

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken at a right angle to Figure 2 on theline 33 of Figure 2, and

Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line H of Figure 3.

The general and practical embodiment of the invention comprises a singledifferential system including two master gears, one on the engine orpower shaft, and the other on the driven shaft, there being two or moreplanetary gears meshing with the master gears and mounted in the framewhich permits said gears to revolve around the master gears. I

Each planetary gear is controlled by a clutch brake which when lockedholds said gears against rotation on their axis and causes the entireunit to revolve whereby the power and driven shafts rotate at the samespeed. By releasing the brake, the planetary gears will revolve freelyand'have planetary movement around the master gears so that the powershaft rotates freely. Thus the clutching and de-clutching actionisprovided. The frame for the planetary gears serves as a brake drumandhas suitably controlled brake bands'thereon, whereby when the frameis held against movement' -the planetary gears cause a reverse actionand the driven shaft reverses the direction of rotationii' I i The speedof the driven shaft can-be controlledby the planetary-gear brake mecha-'i r g In the accompanying drawings wherein for the purposeof'illustra-tion 1s shown'a preferred embodiment of my invention, theinvention comprises a power shaft 1 and a driven shaft 2 which havebeveled master gears 3 and 4 fixed thereto. -A-fly wheel 5 is fixed tothe'powershaft and both shafts are suitably supported in bearings 6.Mounted in an annular frame 7which surrounds themaster gearsareplanetary gears 8 and 9, both of which mesh with said master gears.There may be provided idler planetary gears 10 on shafts 11 carried bycross pieces 13 on the frame 7, said gears 10 also meshing with themaster gears.

The gears 8 and 9 are fixed to rotary tubular shafts 14, which shaftsare suitably journaled on axles 14: fixed to the frame 7 and a loosecollar 14" on the shafts 1 and 2.

As a means for controlling the planetary action of the gears 8 and 9 soas to effect the clutching and de-clutching action I provide clutchbrakes for the said gears, each brake comprising discs 15 fixed to shaft14, and discs 16 carried by the cross pieces 13 and overlying the discs15. The discs 16 have tongues 17 which engage in slots 18 in said crosspieces 13 so as to hold said discs against rotating but permit radial oroutward bodily ment of the discs and retain and normally hold said discsbut of lockin'g-or (le -clutch ing position.

A U shaped operating member 20 is at tached to acircumferentiallygrooved collar 21 in the driven shaft 2 and is providedwith bifurcated arms 22 which are wedge shaped and embrace the gears 8and 9. The wedge shape arms slidably engage lugs 23011 the innermostdiscs 16., The collar is operated by a suitable lever 24 and when movedi11- Wardly causes the wedge shaped arms 22t0 engage and force the lugs23 outwardly. This presses the discs 16 into close engagement with thediscs 15 and said-discs lock in order to prevent rotation of the shafts14: and gears 8 and 9.

The frame 7 serves as a brake drum and has a brake band 25 thereon. Abrake band 26 surrounds the band 25 and is contracted and expanded by alever 27 with which said band 26 is operatively connected at 28 and 29.i I

In'the operation of-the mechanism, the power shaft normally, turns.freeq-ofithe driven shaft; since theclutch brakes for the gears Sand ,9are normally-released and said mastergears. M H l the shafts 1 and 2,the oper gears have planetary movement around the To enclutch ater rocksthe ,lever 24 and pushesthe. arms 7 QQiIlWELIdlY so that the wedgeportions of said arms move about the lugs 23. This forces the disks 15and 16 together, locks them and preventsplanetary movement of the gears8 and 9. The entire mechanism now turns and the driven shaft is drivenat the same speed as the power shaft! w 1 To de-clutch thezshafts, thelever 24 is moved so as to withdraw the arms 22, and the disks 15-and 16are releasedor unlocked whereby the gears 8 and}? are free to haveplanetary movement and the" shaft 1 rotates free of theishaft 2. V T

Thusit will he seenthat thefspe ed of the idrivenshaft may be readilycontrolledby theclutch brake.

T0 reverse the shaft 2the band 26 is tightened on the hand i25fbyproperly manipulatthe-lever27 and frame 7 is held against rotatiom hutthe gears 8 and Qerefree to rotate on the shaft 14. The gears 8 and 9there-forev reverse the-shaft 2. 7

With reference to the foregoing description and the accompanying.-drawings it will be seenthat I have providedstrong, durable, easilyoperated "and reliable clutch mechanism in which slipping of the clutchis eliminated and an effective and positive control of a driven'membermay be obtained. i s M It is tobe understood that the form of myinvention herewith shown and described, is to be taken as a preferredexample of the same, and that various'changes in the shape, size andarrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from thespirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoinedclaim.

Having thus described my invention, I

bodying in its construction, power shaft,

Clutch and transmission meohanism-r-ema drivenshaft, master gearswfixed"to" said shaft, a rotary frame surrounding said shafts,shaftsirotatahlycarried by saidframe, planetary gears: *fixed lto--said--shafts and meshing withsaid'master gears, cross pieces infsaidframe on opp'osite sides of'saidplanetary gears and having radial slotsformed therein, friction discsffixed to Lthe last named shafts,fl'ltlOILCllSCS overlapping the first named discs and heing freeof'fsaid last named shafts, tongues on said disc's slidabl'e in saidslots, springs in said slots normally forcing said "discs apartQaIId awedge mem her movable into engagement with 'certain of said movablediscs together. 1 a I i In testimony whereof I aflix my signat'ure'.

eart. J.- JONES.

so as to force said discs

